Air-brake hose-coupling



(Nb Model.)

W. .SHORTRIDG'E. AIR BRAKE HOSE COUPLING.

N0. 578,168. Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

mvs/vm I wlrnsszs ATTORNEYS.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST W. SHORTRIDGE, F KENOVA, WEST VIRGINIA.

AIR-BRAKE HOSE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,168, dated March 2, 1897.

Application filed October 17, 1896. Serial No. 609,241. (No model.)

1' 0 all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST W. SHORTRIDGE, of Kenova, in the county of Wayne and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Air-Brake Hose-Oouplin g, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I

This invention relates to coupling devices for flexible tubing employed in air-brake systems on a railway-train; and the object is to provide a device of this character simple in its construction and therefore not liable to get out of order and to provide in connection with it a simple means to automatically close the coupling-section belonging to the forward part or section of a train accidentally detached from the other part or section of a train.

I will describe an air-brake hose-coupling embodying my invention, and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a coupling embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inside elevation of one section of the coupling, and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

The coupling comprises two sections 1 2, each provided with a longitudinal duct 3, communicating with a flexible tubing 4. Each section is provided at one side with a ring-shaped frame 5, the inner surfaces of which are adapted to engage together when the two sections are placed in connection, as indicated in Fig. 2. Each ring-shaped frame 5 is provided on its end with a segmental lug 6, the ends ofwhich are inclined from the outer edge of the lug toward the center of the ring-shaped frame, thus forming hook ends.

At the rear portion of the ring-shaped frame 5 each section of the coupling is provided with a forwardly-extended flange 7, and the end of said flange 7 is provided with an inwardly-extended rib 8, the rib 8 of one sec tion being adapted to bear upon the outer surface of the part 6 of the other section when the two sections are placed together and thus prevent alateral displacement of the parts valve.

or sections. To prevent the downward displacement of the sections one relatively to the other, I provide each section at the lower portion of its flange 7 with a pin 9, over which the lower end of the part 6 of the other section may engage.

It will be seen that the inner surface of the frame portion 5 of each section is inclined forward and laterally, so that when strain is placed upon the sections longitudinally these inclined faces will bear closely together to prevent the escape of air.

In each frame-section 5 is mounted to rotate a hollow plug-valve 10. Each plug-valve 10 is provided on its outer side with lugs 11, designed to move in arc-shaped slots 12, formed in the inner periphery of the ringshaped'frame 5, and serve to limit the rotary movement of the plug-valve. Each plugvalve has a lateral port 13, designed to be moved into line with the duct 3 through the coupling-section, whereby air may pass from the said duct 3 into the plug-valve, and at its inner end each plug-valve is provided with a port 14, the port 14 of one plug-valve registering with the port 14 of the other plug- Ihe outer surface of each plug-valve is provided with a segmental rack 15, having ratchetshaped teeth, and adapted to engage with the segmental rack is a rack-bar 16, the

said rack-bar 16 being pivoted at one end to its coupling-section. A pin 17 extends laterally in the coupling-section and forms a stop with which the rear end of the rack-bar 16 may engage to prevent said rack-bar from being moved to a vertical position.

In operation the coupling-sections will be placed together, as shown in Fig. 1, that is, with the rack-bar 16 of the rear section in engagement with the segmental rack of the forward'section, but the rack-bar 16 of the forward section must be left out of engagement with the segment-rack of the rear section. Of course at this time the ports 13 will be in communication with the ducts 3, so that air may flow through the coupling. Should a train become accidentally separated, the coupling-sections between the cars where the separation takes place will also be separated, and during the longitudinal movement consequent upon the separation of one section from the other the rack-bar 16 will rotate the plug-Valve 10 of the coupling-section connected with the forward section of the train, or that which is attached to the locomotive, and thus by moving a port 13 out of line with the duct 3 the valve will be automatically closed to prevent the escape of air. Therefore the forward section of the train will be under the complete control of the engineer, while the air escaping from the rear section will operate the brakes of the detached section of the train.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An air-brake hose-coupling, comprising two sections, each provided with a longitudinal duct for communication with an air pipe or tube, a forwardly-extended frame portion on each coupling-section having a circular opening, a hollow plug-valve mounted to rotate in said circular opening and having a port adapted for communication with the duct in the coupling-section, and also having a port or opening at its inner end,whereby comm unication is provided from one hollow pl ug-valve to the other, a segmental rack on the outer surface of each plug-valve, and a rack-bar pivotally connected to each section, the rackbar of one section being adapted for engagement with the segmental rack of the other section, substantially as specified.

2. An air-brake hose-coupling, comprising two sections, each provided with a longitudinal duct for communication with an air-pipe, and with a circular opening in front of the duct, hollow plug valves mounted in the openings, and each having a port adapted to communicate with the duct and an opening in its side for establishing communication between the valves, a segmental rack on the outer surface of each valve, a pivoted rack-bar on each section and adapted to engage the segmental rack of the other section, and stops for limiting the movement of the said rackbars, substantially as described.

3. An air-brake hose-coupling, comprising two sections each provided with a longitudinal duct, a circular opening in front of the duct, and arc-shaped slots leading into the openings, hollow plug-valves mounted in the openings, each valve being provided with a port in its periphery and in one side, and with peripheral lugs working in the said arc-shaped slots, a segmental rack 011 the outer surface of each valve, and a pivoted rack-bar on each section and adapted to engage the segmental rack of the opposing section, substantially as described.

4. An air-brake hose-coupling, comprising two sections, each having alongitudinal duct, a forwardly-extended frame portion on each section provided with a circular opening, a segmental lug on the forward end of each frame portion, means on each section for engaging the said segmental lug of the other section, to prevent a lateral detachment of one section from the other, a pin in one section adapted to be engaged by the lower end of the lug on the other section, hollow plugvalves mounted to rotate in the opening of each frame portion, each hollow plug-valve having a lateral port adapted for communication with the duct leading to the sections of the coupling, and also having an opening or port at its inner end, means for limiting the rotary movement of the plug-valves, a segmental rack on the outer end of each plugvalve, and a rack-bar pivotally connected to each section of the coupling, the raclobar of one section being adapted for engagement with the segmental rack of the other section, substantially as specified.

ERNEST W. SHORTRIDGE.

W'itnesses:

R. NEY WILLIAMS,

'1. 0. SMITH. 

